Imagine a community where all residents have easy access to information, services, and businesses. The EmpowerNet program provides low-income residents of an inner-city with home access to business and service networks. At the same time, this program builds the ability of small businesses and non-profit organizations to serve a community through the Internet.

   EmpowerNet is a unique approach sponsored by the MTTC and the University of Louisville Sustainable Urban Neighborhoods (UL-SUN) with funding from the Gheen’s Foundation to empower residents to change the future. We believe that people with home access to services, business opportunities, and global information resources will be more successful than those lacking access. This program tests that supposition.

   Louisville’s Enterprise Community is a land of decayed opportunity – nearly half live below the poverty level. As a state, Kentucky is near the bottom in computer ownership and Internet use. Of the fifty largest cities, Louisville is last in the percentage of residents with Internet connections. It is a community with meager hope for the future.

   EmpowerNet has established: (1) a Community EmpowerNet system where residents can gain computer literacy and home computers; (2) Non-Profit EmpowerNet through which non-profits can have Internet access, training to improve their operations, and connections with other non-profit and global resources; and (3) Business EmpowerNet where small businesses can effectively apply and access technology. In all three approaches, non-profit partners are using Internet resources to improve the delivery of existing services.